The present invention relates to containers, and, more particularly, to devices for storing and dispensing premeasured quantities of a substance.
Beverage, food and drug manufacturers produce many different products which need to be or can be mixed with another substance, such as water, before consumption. Such products may include, for example, flavor syrups, powdered baby formula, powdered nutritional drink mix, liquor, suspension antibiotics or any other substance that could be mixed with another substance or liquid such as water, milk, juice or carbonated beverages, for example.
These products may be sold in bulk or as single servings packaged in cans, bottles, packets or other containers. Also, various containers have been designed for storing one or more of these products to be dispensed into another container such as a water bottle, baby bottle or cup. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,380 to Rothman, entitled xe2x80x9cDevice for Dispensing Flowable Material,xe2x80x9d discloses a storage cap having a receiving groove with a large diameter for mating with a number of different size bottle openings. Furthermore, the storage cap has a rupturable membrane which can be ruptured as a bottle neck is urged into the receiving groove.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,179 to Hanson, entitled xe2x80x9cDispensing lid for beverage container,xe2x80x9d discloses a dispensing lid for the circular upper rim of a drinking cup. Frangible vessels contain condiments and are disposed within the lid. Condiments are released form the vessels when finger pressure is applied thereto the vessels.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,314 to Fuller et al., entitled xe2x80x9cUnit Dose Package,xe2x80x9d discloses a unit dose storage cap for storing and dispensing a dose of infant and adult nutritional formulas. The cap has a threaded mouth designed to be fitted onto the wide neck of a infant formula bottle. A foil seal is removed before the storage cap is secured to the bottle. In another embodiment of the invention, the dose cap has a water soluble seal which dissolves into the formula bottle.
One problem with some of the conventional devices is that none provide a reliable seal that can be broken after the device is securely connected to a bottle. Without a reliable seal and a secure connection between the device and the bottle, the contents stored in the device may spill and/or be contaminated.
In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a storage and dispensing device with a reliable seal that can be broken after the device is securely connected to a bottle.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a method of storing a substance in a sealed device and then reliably dispensing the substance into a bottle securely connected to the device.
This and other objects, features and advantages in accordance with the present invention are provided by a storage and dispensing device for engaging a container and dispensing a stored substance therein. The device includes a housing defining a chamber for storing the substance, and having an end and an opening adjacent thereto. The device also includes a breakable seal adjacent the opening of the housing for sealing the substance in the chamber, and a breaking member carried by the housing outside the chamber and adjacent the opening and the breakable seal for being driven by the container when engaged with the device to break the seal and allow dispensing of the substance into the container.
The breaking member may include a protruding portion and at least one opening therein. In one embodiment, the end of the housing may include internal threads, between the opening and the breakable seal, for mating with the container. In another embodiment, the breaking member may comprise a piston slidably disposed in the end of the housing. Furthermore, the breaking member may comprise a container mating portion for mating with the container, and a housing receiving portion for receiving the housing therein.
In another embodiment, the breaking member may have internal threads and external threads, the internal threads for mating with the container. Here, the end of the housing may include internal threads, between the opening and the breakable seal, for mating with the external threads of the breaking member. The breakable seal may be integrally formed with the housing as a monolithic unit, and may include lines of weakness to aid in the breaking of the seal by the breaking member. Also, the breakable seal may be a foil seal. Additionally, a cap may be provided for closing a second opening of the housing.
Objects, features and advantages in accordance with the present invention are also provided by a method of dispensing a first substance into a container for mixture with a second substance. The method includes storing the first substance in a chamber of a device having an end and an opening adjacent thereto, and sealing the first substance in the chamber with a breakable seal adjacent the opening. A breaking member is provided with the device outside the chamber and adjacent the opening and the breakable seal, and the device is engaged onto the container to drive the breaking member to break the seal and dispense the first substance into the container.